Jack shares this latest report. Ed
On the 17th August Wightlink-LCM Systems Cycle Race Team rider Matt Allsopp went to Mountbatten Circuit in Portsmouth for the 2nd to last race in the series.
Allsopp sat fourth in the series of the E12 category, and with only a couple of points between third and fourth he was planning an early break.
This went to plan on the start of the second lap with three other riders and they gained half a lap lead after a few laps, it looked promising but 1 of the riders started to struggle 15 minutes in.
Before Allsopp and the other two riders realised and tried to drop him the pace of the chasing bunch increased and they got caught.
Allsopp sat near the front for the rest of the race covering attacks which never took shape meaning the finish came down to a bunch sprint.
The Wightlink rider was positioned well coming into the final lap hitting 40mph but the riders in front sat up in the final straight boxing Allsopp in with nowhere to go and he finished just outside the top 10.
Henstridge road race
On Sunday 21st August Wightlink-LCM Systems Cycle Race Team rider Adam Holleyman went to the second edition of the Henstridge road race (cat 2/3).
Holleyman made the trip to Somerset to compete in the 50 mile event that started and finished within the airfield grounds.
After a couple of weeks rest from training, Holleyman was aiming to complete the tough race without getting dropped from the bunch and eliminated from the race, but would also look out for any opportunities to attack.
The 5.5 mile course was mostly flat with just one short sharp hill. During the 8 laps of the race the short sharp hill was where all the action happened as any riders getting dropped would struggle to regain contact into the next section of road into a headwind.
Holleyman finished in the bunch but did not have enough energy left contest the sprint.
Behind the Bike Sheds summer series
On Tuesday 23rd August, on a hot and humid summer’s evening Russell Thomson entered the last round of the Behind the Bike Sheds summer series.
The Wightlink-LCM rider entered the fourth category race to continue his bid to get up to third cat.
The first three laps were fast paced and the bunch were strung out until it started to settle down. Then the attacks began around the back of the track with everyone being reeled back in.
With three laps to go Thomson tried to attack along with another rider, bridging the gap to another pair of riders.
The bunch soon decided that this was a dangerous move and closed it down fast. Thomson sat back in to conserve energy for what was surely to end in a bunch sprint.
Thomson was well placed into the last chicane and managed to hold his position in the sprint crossing the line in seventh place.
Goodwood Festival of Cycling
On Sunday 28th August, seven members of the Wightlink-LCM Systems team headed to the mainland for the Goodwood Festival of Cycling.
Up first in the hour long fourth cat race were Martin Sanders and Russell Thomson. Thomson was active from the start, chasing down various breakaway attempts.
Sanders bided his time and stayed with the main field. Both riders gave chase on the final lap and finished in the bunch.
Sam Baker and Kev Foster lined up next for the 3rd category race consisting of 90 minutes + 1 Lap. Both riders settled in well and monitored any moves that could break the field.
As the bell rang, signalling the last lap, the rain began to fall. Foster made his way through the field but the headwind hampered his sprint for the line and had to cross the line in the bunch.
In the elite race were Matt Allsopp, Stuart Waite and James Ebdon. After 30 minutes of racing, Allsopp bridged a gap to a small breakaway group but the main field upped the pace to bring them back.
Soon after, a second group of five riders slipped off the front. Allsopp gave chase again but the massive effort required took its toll and he had to finish alongside his teammates.
The team would like to thank the Wightlink, LCM Systems & Wight Mountain for their continued support.
